The project researchers say there were approximately 3 three million "sides" made on 78rpm discs from about 1898 to the 1950s. The ones that were a "hit" - they made it to LP or CD as well. This project aims to bring the lesser-known recordings to the modern era, in a format that allows researchers to manipulate and study the recordings without causing any damage to the originals.

You see, most 78s weren't "vinyl" at all - but made from shellac (a type of beetle resin) and are incredibly brittle - even picking them up can make them break apart in your hands, the recordings lost forever.